


Eyes

by fremen_wali



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study, Freeform, Gen, Hades is a Bad Parent, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Spoilers for Endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29521731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fremen_wali/pseuds/fremen_wali
Summary: Hopefully the image attaches properly, but basically one of the Memories Zagreus sees before starting a run inspired and depressed me. It's a look into Hades and Zagreus' relationship as father and son, about all that Zagreus reminds Hades of and how he could never talk to him about it until he HAD TO.(direct image link from my twitter: https://twitter.com/IceBear_Bella/status/1362176992473272322?s=20follow me and chat about anything!)
Kudos: 35





	Eyes

When Zagreus finally met his mother, he cried. Her green irises matched his left eye perfectly, and in that moment he knew why his Father never wanted to look at him. 

He stood in her garden, dying. Zagreus could hardly breathe as he tried desperately to drink in all of her face: the bow of her mouth as she smiled, every crease, laugh-line, and how her eyes filled with tears when he finally staggered and fell. For the first time in his life, the Styx didn’t fill him with despair. He was returning to his Father’s house, but he was not doomed to imprisonment; he _would_ see her again. 

\-----------------------

“I shall not discuss this further with you, boy.” Lord Hades’ voice filled the Great Hall with a roll of thunder. Zagreus, standing defiantly in front of the absurdly large desk, stared up at his Father’s unwavering red gaze. 

“I don’t understand why you won’t _teach me_ then!” he shouted frustratedly. The argument had been repeated a thousand times and while he was sure everyone in the House was sick of hearing it, Zagreus no longer felt shame talking back to his Father. He was just a constant source of disappointment to the Chthonic God- leading to Hades taking away his Administrative access, limiting his ability to influence Contracts of Renovation, and bullying his friends as well as the incoming shades from having any extended contact with him. Effectively, Hades was shutting Zagreus out.

_Zagreus understood what the House was for; Hades and Nyx had toured a very young Zagreus through the Underworld to explain how they documented and provided arrangements for the recently departed. After half an age had gone by and Zagreus had some experience working on the scrolls of parchment, he’d begun to suggest various improvements to the entire process. Why does everyone’s work shifts have to be back-to-back with breaks few and far- between? There was no lack of shades that Zagreus was certain would be willing to train or work in the House to alleviate some of the burden his Father grumbled about. Mother Nyx had her children all integrated throughout the realm: The Fates, Hypnos, Charon, and Thanatos all of whom (except for Hypnos) seemed to share their Master’s work ethic and were never about._

_Lord Hades seemed to think little of Zagreus’ thoughts on the matter, forever espousing the rote responsibilities that were expected, and berating him every chance he could for any mistakes. Apart from his martial training with Achilles, Zagreus had little else to look forward to. He attended to his duties with the barest effort given._

“Despite my knowing you are always late for everything, here you've outdone yourself by quite some time,” Hades’ figure materialized behind him in the Administrative Chamber one day, looming and furious. Zagreus had only just sat down, quite a few hours (or whatever) after he had meant to be at his desk, surrounded by silent shades. Zagreus turned his mismatched gaze upwards to his Father. 

“Hello, Father,” Zagreus greeted stiffly. 

“If you’re going to waste everyone else’s time taking up useless space, you’d do better to stay in your chambers,” Hades replied gruffly, pulling Zagreus’ chair out from under him, forcing him to stand quickly to avoid falling. Hades refused to look at him, merely resetting the desk as if he had never been there. Zagreus scoffed as he straightened up, heading to the chamber door and slamming it behind him with a loud echoing bang as he exited into the Western Hall. 

His mentor and trainer, Achilles reached out one hand as if to hail the Prince for a conversation, but Zagreus continued past the man, past everyone in the Great Hall to march into his bedchambers. Fuming, Zagreus ignored the angry sparks of embers falling away from his feet as he crossed the room to fling himself onto his bed. The whole place could burn down for all he cared.

He knew he was effectively throwing a tantrum, and that this emotional outburst was unbecoming of the Prince of the Underworld, but if his Father didn’t want anything to do with him-- didn’t trust him to complete any assignment competently, then what did it matter how Zagreus acted while he was alone? He rolled himself on top of his duvet until his face was pressed into one of the luxurious pillows that sat against the headboard. He let out a muffled groan filled with all the loneliness, anger, and despair that he felt. Maybe resting for once would be best. He rarely felt the need to indulge in sleep, but knew that it would alleviate some of his stress and anguish. Taking slow, deep breaths Zagreus closed his eyes, hugged the pillow to his chest, and began to dream.

**It is the dead of the night, or the approximation of it in the realm of Hades. Prince of the Underworld Zagreus rises from a fitful slumber, with much mischief on his mind.**

His dream-state led him to walk through the House, empty of all its inhabitants, to find a letter hidden within his Father’s desk, and a figure shrouded in a deep violet veil by his Father’s bedchambers. Nyx. Not his mother. Tears filled her golden eyes as she begged his forgiveness, and offered to tell him the full story. As Zagreus stood, absorbing this new knowledge, he felt his own eyes begin to tingle. When he awoke in his bed he blinked and his right eye, red like his Father’s, shed a single tear that rolled down his cheek and sizzled into nothing as it fell. 

\-----------------------

He stepped out of the engulfing red waters, his skin whole and unmarred once more. The House was oddly quiet. The great hall was littered with incoming shades, as always, but Hypnos was not at his post, nor was his Father at his great desk. Zagreus came to stand on the House seal embedded in gold in the stone floor, and turned to look into the Western hall. Achilles, his teacher and friend, stood ever at the ready and smiled fondly at him as he jogged to meet him at his post. 

“Lad, you’re back,” the hero greeted him, reaching out to clap Zagreus on his exposed shoulder. 

“Achilles, sir, I made it! I saw her- my mother!” Zagreus burst out, giddy with excitement. Achilles’ eyes widened in surprise, then his eyebrows furrowed as he realized what Zagreus’s reappearance must mean. 

“But I take it something happened up there?” he gently prodded. Zagreus shook his head like flinging water from his hair, protesting quickly.

“It doesn’t matter! I’ll figure that part out later- I‘m sure Nyx or Than have a way for me to stay up there longer. Sir, she has a little house by the river, and a garden with so many plants and creatures I’ve never seen before. It was so _warm_... “ he drifted off, looking to the ceiling wistfully. Closing his eyes to relish the memory, he lowered his gaze to Achilles once more. Zagreus could feel his eyes begin to burn with unshed tears and he pressed his lips together as if biting back his words could hold the floodgates from opening. 

“Oh my Prince,” Achilles took a step closer, pulling the young godling into a one-armed hug. Zagreus took the moment to press his forehead to his mentor’s chest, swallowing back the lump in his throat and subtly wiping his eyes before stepping back. 

“Thank you,” he said simply, unable to express all the thoughts swirling in his head. Zagreus felt like he would vibrate out of his skin if he didn’t start moving again. He leveled his usual enormous grin at Achilles. “I’ll tell you even more later sir, but I need to speak to Nyx before I head back out there.”

Achilles wasn’t surprised the young man would want to barrel back through the Underworld- if there was one thing Zagreus was, it was persistent. He certainly hadn’t learned it from Achilles himself. 

His feet sizzling on one of the carpets he’d commissioned, Zagreus ran past Cerberus, past Orpheus and the lounge, nearly skidding to a stop in front of the Lady of Darkness, who looked at him with so much love in her stellar eyes he felt he might shake apart. 

“My child,” she intoned, as if she knew already what he had to say. Her arms outstretched, Zagreus took each of her hands in his and squeezed them gently. 

“Nyx, I did it. I found her,” he announced. 

**Author's Note:**

> Never thought I'd write fic for a video game, but gotdang it, here we are!! There are some absolutely gorgeous works in this fandom and I am forever inspired by the incredible story of this game. 
> 
> I have no idea what to do with this drabble other than just put it out there, but concrit/compliments are most def' welcome.  
> <3


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